Restore your bike

The art of restoring an antique bicycle is a task that can take time, patience, and skill. Restoring an antique bicycle is a way to preserve the history of the bike and its design, as well as to revive an object of sentimental or historical value.

The restoration process can vary depending on the condition of the bicycle and the goals of the restorer. In general, restoration involves taking the bicycle apart completely, cleaning the parts, and replacing damaged or worn-out pieces. It may also involve painting and polishing the bicycle, as well as installing new or period-correct parts.

One of the greatest challenges in restoring antique bicycles is finding spare parts that are compatible with the bicycle in question. At biciclásica.com, we work with new components equivalent to those used in the past. Often, the original parts are no longer manufactured and can be difficult to find.

Once all the necessary parts have been gathered, the restoration process can begin. The restorer must be precise and careful when reassembling the bicycle to ensure that everything works correctly.

In summary, restoring an antique bicycle is a challenging but rewarding task that requires skill, patience, and dedication. Restoring antique bicycles is a way to preserve the history and heritage of bicycles, and it can provide a unique experience for those who undertake it.

How to know which tire I need

Bicycle tires are one of its most important parts. They are responsible for keeping you glued to the ground and providing comfort while you are on it. If you want to restore your classic bicycle or simply need to change them, it is logical to have doubts about which equivalents and sizes you should buy. To acquire a tire for a classic bicycle, it is necessary to take a series of important factors into account.

The first thing that needs to be clarified is that different systems can be used to measure tires: ETRTO (European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization), the English system (in inches), and the French system. On our website, we offer a complete bicycle tire equivalence chart so that you have no doubts.

In our case, we will always use the ETRTO system, as it is simpler to understand. The diameter and width (cross-section) measurements are separate. Use millimeters and only measure these two parameters.

It is essential that before choosing your bicycle tires, you take a series of factors into consideration. Firstly, so that they are suitable for your rims and, secondly, so that you feel comfortable when using it. Below, you will be able to see which ones are the most important.

Intended use of the bicycle

Depending on the use you give your classic bicycle, you will need different tires. Tires for classic bikes are designed for an urban environment, although they are durable enough for other types of roads. These are the possible uses for your bicycle and the type of tire you need for each:

Urban use: This is the most favorable scenario, where tires suffer the least. The pavement ensures a comfortable ride, and punctures are unlikely. If you are going to use your bike exclusively in an urban setting, a tire width between 23 and 25 mm is recommended. The narrower the tire, the easier it will be to pedal, as friction is also reduced.
Mixed use: In this case, you may ride on paved city streets or on dirt paths. You will need a wheel with a tire width between 32 and 40 mm with low friction. This type of tire is also recommended for bicycles that need to carry loads, such as a child seat.
Sporadic use on unpaved terrain: Although you will mainly be riding on paved surfaces, it is necessary to keep in mind that you might occasionally use it on dirt roads. For this, it is recommended to use a tire width between 28 and 32 mm. It should offer low friction, but enough to prevent punctures on less favorable terrain.

Different types of tires for your classic bicycle

On the market, it is possible to find different types of tires for your bicycle. The three most important are these:

Tubular tires: They have an inner tube located inside a casing. They are glued to the wheel and have the great advantage that, even if they get a puncture, they do not separate from the wheel, making it possible to continue using them without coming to a complete stop.
Clincher tires: These are the most common; they are hollow inside, and that is where the inner tube is placed. Unlike the previous ones, it is quite easy to fix their punctures and they hook onto the rim by the sides of the tire. There are two types:Folding: They are manufactured with a Kevlar bead and are lighter, making them easier to handle and transport.Rigid: They cannot be folded and are heavier than the previous ones. This is because they have a steel wire bead inside.
Tubeless: They do not have an inner tube. One of their great advantages is that there is very little chance of getting a puncture with them. They also allow you to adjust their pressure, so you can lower it on wet ground or on roads with many curves.

The tire for a classic bicycle is something you must choose while taking into account different factors. If you don't, it is most likely that you will not choose the right one and will have problems when using it. Check out the different types of tires in the Biciclásica online store and choose the one that best suits the characteristics of your bicycle.

Tire width

When talking about rim width, it refers to the distance between the two walls that form it. It is essential to keep in mind that this measurement can never be greater than the width of the wheel, as it will be impossible to mount the tire. In other words, if the rim is 28 mm wide, the tire must be the same size or larger, never narrower.

Tire tread

This tread also varies depending on your needs and the environment in which you will be riding your bicycle:
Slick: For urban use and in cities where the pavement is almost never wet from rain. In dry conditions, this tread offers very good grip and minimal friction.
Lightly treaded: You can also use this in the city; however, it grips better than the previous one on wet or dusty asphalt. It even has quite decent grip on unpaved terrain.
Treaded: Without a doubt, this is the most versatile. With this feature on your bicycle, you will be able to use it on any type of terrain: paved, dirt, wet, dry, etc. The grip it offers is sensational and it adapts to all the conditions that may be encountered in your environment.

Wheel arch

It refers to thedistance between the bike's rear chainstays. Something very similar happens as with the rim width. In no case can the tire be wider than the wheel clearance. If this value on your bike is 30 mm, you cannot mount a tire of that same size or larger; it must be below that value. Otherwise, the wheel would get stuck.

History

The principle of the bottom bracket is the same as when the first pedal bicycle was invented. For a bicycle to work, it was essential to pedal, and the only solution to do so while avoiding friction was to install bearings between the axle, which connected the cranks, and the bicycle frame. The part of the frame where these bearings are housed is called the bottom bracket shell. Since its creation, the only variations the axle has undergone have been in how the cranks are attached to the axle and how the axle is attached to the frame. For these two reasons, the world of bottom brackets is quite complicated, and if we ever want to replace or repair it, we must know what we are looking for.

Bottom brackets by shell type:

The bottom bracket shell is cylindrical in shape, and two measurements must be taken into account: A (inner diameter) and B (shell length). Depending on these measurements, we will have one type of bottom bracket or another.

Although there are many types of attachment to the shell, we are going to focus on threaded ones, which is the most widespread method, and the one used on almost all classic bicycles.

We have left you a link to our Blog where it is explained in great detail which one you should choose:

https://www.biciclasica.com/blog/2017/06/que-eje-de-pedalier-debo-escoger/

Restoring a vintage bicycle requires knowing which components are the most suitable and compatible, but it is also important to consider performance and aesthetic aspects to achieve the best results. In this post, we recommend 5 models of Bicycle Cranksets ideal for any City Bike.

Cottered Cranks, also known as wedge cranks: if you are looking to keep the original components of your vintage bicycle, it is very possible that if the bike is more than 40 years old, it has a cottered crank system. They are fixed to the bottom bracket axle by a wedge system that works under pressure. They are usually made of steel and are very difficult to find, available at Biciclasica.com from 9.70 Eur

Steel and aluminum cranks: The combination of both elements allows us to have the firmness and durability of steel cranks with the chainring in that material to improve the wear that aluminum might experience, while the cranks or arms, in this case, are made of aluminum, which reduces their weight. They are undoubtedly a very balanced solution that also has a very reasonable cost, so if you need cheap bicycle cranks with good performance, these cranks are the best solution (in this case with a square taper bottom bracket).

Aluminum Cranksets, If weight is an important factor, you can opt for a bicycle crankset where both components are made of aluminum; they may be less resistant or durable, but that also depends on the quality of the aluminum itself, and they will certainly allow you to enjoy a lighter bicycle. This Stronglight model is undoubtedly a very stylish, high-performance choice. from 34.90 EUR

Double Chainring Aluminum Cranksets, if you want to give your urban bicycle greater versatility or if you need a wider gear range to be able to use your bike in areas with steep slopes, cranksets with double (or triple) chainrings will allow you to multiply your bicycle's speeds. This 50 and 34-tooth crankset model from 39 EUR is highly recommended.

Cranksets for Fixie bicycles If you want to equip your bicycle with Fixie-style cranksets, you need cranksets that are lightweight yet resistant, as the chainring takes special punishment. In that sense, we recommend using cranksets from renowned brands such as Sturmey Archer cranksets or cranksets from the Japanese manufacturer Sugino. This crankset model that we are showing you, Sugino RD2 Track Silver 48T 165mm, is available at Biciclasica.com starting at 99 EUR

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Restore your bike